


Amaris

by wingsoffreedom_jeager



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Curse Breaking, Curses, Demigods, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Gods, Growing Up Together, Historical Inaccuracy, Historical References, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Gore, Multi, Older Man/Younger Woman, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Temple, Touch-Starved, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2020-06-03 00:14:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19452421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsoffreedom_jeager/pseuds/wingsoffreedom_jeager
Summary: He was cursed, damned for all eternity, and for what? He never knew the reason why he had to change forms during the new moon, or why he felt a piece of him die with each passing of a new day. He just knew that being by her side would keep him sane; that she would be able to calm the beast inside of him. He just hoped that she could save him before he is lost for all time.





	1. What I entrust onto you

**Author's Note:**

> Hello My dears! 
> 
> I felt that I needed to write another Bleach fanfic for the fandom. I was loosely inspired by the fanfic "The Bride of the Death God" by Caledon on fanfiction.net. I took some inspiration from it so there will be some similarities but other than that I'm trying to make this fic my own. I really love mystical beings, Gods and Greek/Roman mythology so I wanted to mix all three and really make something that is fresh unique. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this story!

The wind bellowed and howled, the smoke and ashes from the blazing fire cast a red glow that engulfed and consumed anything it touched. From afar he could see that the whole village was swallowed by a sea of flames. The smoke burning his lungs and the hot fire making his eyes burn even from the vast distance he had from being this deep in the forest. He simply watched as chaos had struck the little town of Karakura and felt a deep ache reside in his heart, but a small sense of satisfaction had made its way to the surface; consuming him and causing turmoil over the warring feelings inside of him. He didn't know whether to feel happy or sad as the village was burning. On one hand, he had terrible memories of Karakura and wanted the people who resided there to suffer just as he did, but somehow hearing their distant screams echo throughout the forest made his heart feel like it was ready to break in two and he didn't even know why.

He had watched over Karakura as the seasons had changed from afar; never allowed to enter the village. He could only watch and gather what little information about the town from what he heard from passing strangers, traders and anyone who was brave enough to enter his forest. The barrier surrounding the forest always blocking his passage from entering the village. He had tried once to pass through and felt brave enough to press his hand against the barrier. When he did his whole body burned and ached, he felt that he was being torn apart from the inside. His father had warned him to never leave the area and stay away from the barrier, that if he tried to he would feel a pain like he never had before. He thought his father was exaggerating and that his words were null so he mustered enough courage to try but he made sure to never make that mistake again.

He was helpless, like a babe and even if he could leave the confines of his forest, he may not have helped the village. The people were cruel and the fire God had left him here, sealed away for no known reason. He felt betrayed and alone, but most of all he felt useless. His existence expanding for so long that he was just existing for the sake of existing and nothing else. He couldn't remember how he was born and his father never told him anything since he was never around and resided in the sky seeing as how he was the moon God. He was forced to being trapped here since he was branded a half-breed; half human and half God or what he had to come to know as "demi-god". He had thought that with his god blood flowing in his veins that he would be allowed to reside in the soul society, but he was considered a halfling, a bastard, a half-breed. He had heard it all and felt disgusted, betrayed, hurt, and angry at the other Gods. So he had to reside here, on earth and watch over the humans for no known reason and was sealed away in Karakura town.

He felt that the more time he spent in Karakura the more he hated it and over time he felt that his forest was a safe haven for him. With nowhere else to go he pledged that he would not invest any of his time and energy towards the people that lived there. He swore it, yet now as he stood watching the town burn he recalled that fateful day one year ago when he had witnessed a young man with brown hair and kind eyes and a young girl with sunset orange hair enter his forest. He was venturing around the area close to the boarder of the barrier in slight defiance and boredom when he saw the pair wondering around near the edge of the forest trail. The man was young, no older than twenty eight by his estimate and the girl was young; far too young. He guessed that she was around four or possibly five at the time. She was energetic as she ran around the trail, a beaming smile on her face and her hair flowing behind her like butterflies. The man was picking at the flowers that grew along the edge. From what he could see the man was plucking all the valuable herbs that grew along the trail. Nobody in the village was brave enough to venture into the forest to pick the herbs, however this man must have been desperate seeing as how he chose to come and risk his life for a few herbs.

He knew that the villagers talked about him and whispered about how the forest was possibly cursed; that a beast resided in the forest with terrible long horns, a white mask of death and flowing, long orange hair. They always gossiped about him and he knew that they only saw him as a monster, so to see that this young man had entered his forest was either him being brave, naive or very stupid. Either way he was curious so he had decided to observe the man and young girl. He turned his attention to her and saw that she seemed very innocent from her aura alone, he could tell that she was happy to be venturing along with the man and her dirty blue dress somehow looking just as bright as her smile. He decided to creep closer to get a better look at the girl since she was more intriguing than the man. The closer he got to the pair the more he could see and smell the girl. He snuck behind some bushes and melded with the trees and lowered his aura. Normal humans could never see or feel him but there were always exceptions. The man was hunched over plucking the herbs and every few minutes he would turn around and look for the girl; keeping a close watch on her to ensure that she was nearby.

"Hime try not to run off too far, or else you'll get lost." The man warned softly; his voice was low and firm but he could tell that the man himself was gentle.

"Okay! I promise I won't brother." The girl giggled as she continued to observe the plants and didn't have her full attention on the man but more so focused on a butterfly that sat down on a purple iris. She gasped softly at the butterfly, enraptured by the beautiful blue hues on its wings and crouched low to get a better look. The man chuckled at her behaviour and turned back around to the herbs.

As he continued to observe her, he began to feel more curious about her and felt the urge to get closer. The girl inched closer to the butterfly and with her small index finger, poked its wing. The butterfly took immediate flight in fear and she gasped in shock. She jumped up and started to chase it as it tried to escape her outstretched hands. Both the girl and butterfly were coming towards him and in shock he jolted and quickly teleported further inside the forest. He did not go that far so he could still hear her footsteps as she ran deeper inside; her soft giggles like the chime of temple bells. She hopped and skipped after the butterfly and he hid further behind a large oak tree. She came into the clearing and for a moment he was mesmerized by her. Her hair shined in the sunlight, her skin was pale like the moon he would always look up to, her stormy grey eyes were full of joy and twinkled and her smile was wide. She was very intriguing and he crept a little closer, peeking out from the shade of the tree. The butterfly flew higher towards the sky and she desperately jumped up trying in her last attempt to grab it but it escaped. She simply stood, watching in sadness as it flew away and her back looked fragile. For a few minutes she just stared at the sky and he continued to watch her closely. Then suddenly she abruptly turned around, her eyes wide in shock and she looked frightened.

"H-hello?" She whispered. Her voice quivered and she hunched slightly in fear. "Is there someone there?" He said nothing to give away his presence and was slightly surprised that she could possibly sense him. She was very interesting indeed. She squinted in his general direction and clasped her hands towards her chest in nervousness.

"Brother is that you?" She trembled.

So she had the power to definitely see him. He found this to be very curious since in all the time he spent in the forest, very few were able to see him. The only time when humans were able to see him was when their fear of him manifested before them and they only saw a version of him that they choose to see, so his appearance was always different to people. The rumours about his appearance always was changing and somehow every version was monstrous. He decided then that since she was capable of seeing his rough shape that she could possibly have the honor of actually seeing him for herself. He was very curious about how she would react to his current form since tonight was going to be the night of the full moon so he was to take on his Zangetsu form. He inched closer towards her and stepped out a few inches from the tree trunk and she jumped.

"Human weren't you warned not to step foot in this forest?" He warned. His tone was cold and he tried to sound menacing.

"I'm with my brother and he told me that a kind God lived here." She answered in a hush tone. She looked scared as she trembled slightly at his voice and her lips were set in a thin line.

"A kind god, how interesting." He chuckled in irritation and sarcasm. _Let's see how "kind" she thinks of me when she sees me_. He thought grimly.

He finally stepped out of the shade of the tree and walked towards her slowly. With every step she cowered in towards herself in fear and her body shook. Then he stepped directly into the sunlight so that she could see him very clearly in all his grotesque form. He knew how frightening he looked in his Zangetsu form with his black and white mask, long horns and white robs, the furs on the ends of his coat black and his frighting exposed teeth. She gasped when he stopped in front of her and he towered over her. She didn't move or speak, probably frightened to even move or breathe. He could faintly hear her heartbeat pound madly and he knew that she was scared of him.

"So tell me girl, are you afraid of me?" He asked. She continued to stare at him not speaking until she did something very odd. She smiled up at him and he could see that she had stopped quivering.

"No, I'm not afraid." She murmured with a sad smile on her round face. 

Now it was his turn to be afraid. He felt confused and flabbergasted at her answer. He could tell from her aura that she genuinely wasn't afraid of him anymore and he was puzzled at her sudden change in heart. She was an enigma to him and he felt a shiver run down his spine. She continued to smile up at him and he jostled at her expression. A voice broke the tension that was between them and he turned his attention towards the voice. It was the man from before. He could hear his panicked voice as it rung throughout the forest, the man was clearly desperate in finding his sister. The voice became louder and clearer and the girl jumped and turned her attention elsewhere; she looked around and suddenly looked panicked.

"Brother is looking for me."

"Come child. I'll take you back to him. Follow me." He instructed. He turned his back and walked slowly back. He could hear her footsteps behind him and somehow felt comforted by the simple fact that she trusted him enough to follow him and was not afraid to do so. He watched her from his peripheral view and she seemed nervous as she chewed on her lower lip and picked at her nails. In a sense of what he could only guess as desperation for comfort, she turned her attention to him and reached her hand towards his white robes. Before she could touch him he dodged her hand and distanced himself from her side.

"Do not touch me, all beings that do have not fared well." He warned. His touch was deadly to almost every living being except for other gods and he did not want to see her end up turning to ash from his touch. He found her to be very enamouring and interesting, so to have her turn to dust would be a shame before he even began to understand her completely. She looked hurt and troubled by his words but nodded her head in understanding; her eyes having a gloomy tone to them as she stared at him in confusion. He continued to walk back towards the entry of the forest and he could see the path of the trail up ahead. He stopped before he could reach the trail and turned back to her.

"Follow the trees back to the trail, I have marked them so you'll be able to find your way back to your brother." She nodded her head and began to walk past him until he spoke once more.

"Heed my words well, do not return to this forest unless you wish to be cursed child." He warned in a sombre tone of voice. He felt that he couldn't look at her due to the sudden feeling of emptiness that filled his heart at his own words. The prospect of being alone once again after engaging with another living being was maddening but he would have to remain here for all eternity and she would have to stay away if she was to remain safe. 

"Thank you Mr. God. I knew it, you really were kind." She giggled then bowed and ran towards the trail then turned back around one last time. "Bye bye!" She yelled in a cheery tone of voice and waved goodbye then she left just as quickly. He watched her retreading form and just as she left, he felt so too did the sun itself.

Recalling it now as he did, he felt an ache in his heart. He hoped that she at least survived the mayhem and would be alright. He shook his head to clear his mind and felt the continuous throbbing of his heart; his Mugetsu form doing nothing to block out the pain he felt. He turned away from the carnage and hopped down from the tall oak tree and onto the cold hard ground and decided that he needed to leave before night ended. He wasn't stable in this form and his lack of empathy was concerning. Just as he was about to enter deeper into the forest he heard the familiar sounds of footsteps. He turned around and saw a tall man run towards him in desperation. He was panting and he saw that the man was staggering and limping on his left leg. He could smell the blood in the air the closer the man got and upon closer inspection he could see the blood trailing down his leg and chest. Clearly the bandits that had destroyed the town had managed to injure him. The man was in pain and desperate as he limped towards him. He stopped before him and panted in exasperation.

"My lord, finally I found you!" He cried in agony. He stumbled on his feet and somehow he looked very familiar; his brown dirty hair and chocolate coloured eyes strikingly familiar to the man who entered his forest a year ago. However this man looked older and more ragged; his eyes held a shadow of despair and were covered in bags, his face was deathly pale and blood speckled his face and hair, his clothes were covered in dirt and blood and he carried something in his arms. He pressed it close to himself and whatever was wrapped in the blanket must have been precious to him to risk his life to save it.

"What are doing here in the forest? Why do you not leave town before it is too late?" He inquired.

"Please, I do not have much time. Take this and protect it! Protect my family!" He begged as he stumbled and fell to the ground. He grunted and groaned in pain and the earth soaked with his blood. He panted and stared up at him in desperation. He crawled towards him and presented the bundle to him with shaking arms.

"Please protect her, please! Raise her as your own, I beg of you." He sobbed. He cried in anguish and coughed up blood as his very life was being extinguished right before the God's eyes.

He turned his attention to the bundle that the man held in his arms and kneeled to get a better look. Very carefully with the long claw of his index finger he lifted the blanket to the side and he saw a very familiar face greet his eyes. Orange hair cascaded down her round face and snow white skin that was covered in soot peeked out. This was the girl who he had guided through his forest a year ago.

"Tell me, what is this child's name?" He asked.

"Orihime, her name is Orihime." He croaked.

"Very well, since this is your dying wish I will uphold it. Your bravery and love for her has changed my mind about you humans." He explained his reasoning in a cold tone.

"Thank you, thank you Amaris. I entrust her to you." He whispered with his last breath and stilled; his eyes loosing its light and his body lay motionless with a smile on his face.

He carefully picked the girl up avoiding any skin to skin contact and wrapped her tighter in the blanket as he held her close. So now he knew the name of the child who had captured his heart. This little girl named Orihime. He would never forget this night, not in all his years to come, for he was entrusted with two precious things this very night. The girl named Orihime and the name "Amaris." Just as she was given to him, he was given the name Amaris. The man who he knew nothing about him had deemed him worthy of the name and felt despair rage in his heart for the first time in a long time, for he was not as the man had seen him, for he was not worthy of being given such a name.

With the girl Orihime in his arms he vowed to protect her with his life as Amaris; "The Child of the moon promised by God."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name for this fic was really hard for me to come up with, but I really wanted the name to resonate with the theme of the moon, which is why I named it Amaris. Amaris means "Child of the moon" in Old Irish and "Given or Promised by God" in Hebrew so essentially it roughly translates to "Child of the moon promised by God".
> 
> I hope you guys have enjoyed chapter 1, sorry for the lack of Orihime in this chapter, but I wanted to start off with a flashback and some context.
> 
> Here is what Ichigo looked like when he first meet Orihime in the woods during the flashback:
> 
> https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/0/08/Ep302ZangetsuSecondForm.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/190?cb=20190416063229&path-prefix=en
> 
> See you guys next week!


	2. By His Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! 
> 
> I bring you chapter 2. I was having trouble carrying off from last chapter but I really wanted to continue and I wanted an adorable little Orihime to tag along with Ichigo! 
> 
> This chapter will be from both character's POV, but page breaks means a change in character POV. SLIGHT GORE WARNING
> 
> This chapter really touched my heart because I wanted to stress the bond between two people and the love that can grow between them. I was heavily inspired by "Violet evergarden" soundtrack so I highly recommend you listen to the tracks I'll link down below.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmgemh8TAJk&list=PLJbWNarT9D8msO9D8p3nvq7Wj9FBQvvkC&index=4  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNMJ-rvnQjo&list=PLJbWNarT9D8msO9D8p3nvq7Wj9FBQvvkC&index=27
> 
> Enjoy!

As he carried Orihime he noticed two things; one that she was much thinner and lighter than he thought and two that she had the faintest smell of lavender and soot that clung to her pale skin. He felt rather uncomfortable about having to carry her especially with the looming threat of his powers affecting her but he had no choice. As long as she didn't try to touch him then she would be fine; the blanket was the only barrier that was separating their skin from touching and he really hoped that she wouldn't awaken before he could take her back to his home deeper into the woods. He continued walking at a steady pace and her breath fanned his neck and he felt oddly comforted by that thought even among the dying embers of the fire that had swallowed up the rest of Karakura town. He continued on trudging through the forest and steadily the evening sunset left bringing the night sky and stars out; the moon nowhere to be found during the new cycle seeing as how he was in his Mugetsu form. The stars and fireflies were the only source of light in the never ending darkness but he didn't rely on them for guidance; his many years living in the forest had made him grow accustomed to the loneliness and darkness. The many twisting paths were familiar to him and he memorized every tree and bush over the long years.

The further he went the darker and more desolate the forest became. The many plants and animals that littered about scattered from the sight of him and only the occasional owl and cricket would break the silence of the night. The plant life became more luscious as he went further towards the little cave where he lived; the river bank providing a lush water source and energy to plant life surrounding the area. He could smell the river the closer he got and he could hear the light trickle of water coming from up ahead. He finally pushed past the last trees and he could see the clearing up head. The river was cool in the night and he could see many fireflies had gathered around the water's surface. He turned briskly towards the mouth of the cave opening near the large willow tree; the opening of the cave like the mouth of large creature; jagged rocks surrounded the opening and the hole was large and oddly shaped since the willow tree's roots had swallowed the opening over the years along with its large vines and leaves that covered the ground. He had to duck his head before entering seeing as how he was tall in his Mugetsu form and the darkness of the cave captured his being just like the moonless sky. The cold ground was like ice against his bandaged, bare feet but he hardly felt it after being accustomed to it.

As he went further the light from the crystals and fireflies grew brighter until he reached the middle of the cave. Pools of water surrounded him as water flowed inside like a small little river and trickled down the stair-like rocks which created beautiful patterns of blue light to dance on the cave ceiling; luscious moss had grown on the cave walls surrounding the bank with small plants and mushrooms that grew on the roof of the cave. The fresh smell of water, plants and herbs hit his nose and the familiar sight of crooked rocks made him feel more at ease now that he was at home. Now that he had come back to his cave the final realization of what he agreed to had hit him fully. Suddenly the girl's weight had doubled in his arms and he looked down to observe her as she continued to sleep. She was shivering in his arms and her face was scrunched up in discomfort. He sighed and felt annoyed since he had forgotten how fragile humans could be and realized that she needed warmth. His cold skin would not provide her that and he saw the large bed of moss that grew near the edge of the water and decided to let her rest there for now. The moss would be soft and comfortable for her to sleep on and would hopefully warm her. He gently placed her onto the moss and she groaned softly. The moment she was lying she twisted and turned to her side and scrunched her body into a small ball and she unconsciously pulled the blanket up and wrapped herself in it. She was still uncomfortable and likely cold so he decided he would have to make a small fire for her to provide her some warmth; the larger holes in the ceiling would let the smoke out and allow fresh air to come in.

He had gathered small twigs and tree branches that had been littered about near the entrance as well as some dead leaves and rocks then returned to the girl. He began to make a small bed of twigs and leaves, piling them up on each other and surrounded them in a small circle with rocks to keep the fire steady and stop it from escaping or spreading. When he was satisfied he waved his bandaged hand over the pile of sticks and used his aura to make a small gust of fire to come from his hand. A small spark emerged and the sticks and leaves captured the light and steadily a small fire came to life as it danced and spread. Within a few minutes the warmth of the fire spread throughout the cave and he sat down closer to the edge of the bed of moss and watched the girl. Her facial expression softened out and her face relaxed; he could see the tension leave her body as the warmth seeped into her. The firelight had cast a orange glow on her skin and she looked oddly pretty. She reminded him of the gleaming sun as it would rise in the morning sky and her amber hair was like the fire itself; wild and bright. Usually the new moon cycle would eat up his soul, making him feel especially empty with each passing moon, taking a part of his humanity with each cycle as the curse ran its course, but for some reason he felt at peace which was very peculiar since he was never meant to feel emotions during his Mugetsu cycle. He continued to watch her and decided that perhaps it wouldn't be that bad to have her tag along in his dismal boring life.

* * *

She had heard them, the loud screams of agony and terror that echoed throughout the village as the fire had engulfed everything it touched. It was a sight that had filled her with horror. Everything had happened so fast that she couldn't process it. She had been sleeping when it happened. Her brother Sora had burst into her room late into the night and she bolted in shock to see her brother dishevelled and scared. His expression grim and sweat running down his forehead. She had never seen him panic like this since he was always calm and collected; he always emitted an aura of peacefulness and tranquility, but not tonight. He was covered in sweat and soot and he woke her up and told her they had to leave. He was in a hurry as he fumbled with his words and pulled her from her bed. The moment he dragged her out of the small hut, everything went blank for Orihime. She couldn't understand anything and her mind was blank as she saw villagers and townsfolk running and screaming, farm animals and horses cried and were scattering in fear, houses were engulfed in a sea of flames and she could hear the creaks and groans of wood breaking under the strain and falling apart. Unfamiliar men on horseback rode through the village pillaging everything and burning houses as they rode, some men even captured women and children as they laughed and bellowed with pride. Her whole life was being ripped apart from her and she was utterly scared. She could feel her heart facing in her small chest and her brother squeezed her hand so tight that she felt her hand turning cold from the cut circulation. He was desperately searching for a way out of the chaos and the moment he found a path he didn't hesitate as he picked her up in his strong arms and ran for dear life.

"Orihime don't look!" He ordered in panic, his voice cracking as he shoved her head into the crook of his neck and his large hand holding her head in place. His other hand holding her weight against his chest as he ran. She could hear his heart beat and his stuttering breaths as he ran and she could still smell the smoke that penetrated the air. She could feel the stuffy heat from the fire and Sora's body heat as he trudged on. The cries and screams of women and children rang in her ears and she closed her eyes and clung to his shirt in fright. She could hear horses hooves closing in on them as someone must have been chasing them.

"OVER HERE! ONE OF THEM IS ESCAPING!" A man's gruff voice screamed with anger. A chill ran down her spine at the commanding tone and she could feel Sora's arms tense around her as he gasped.

She felt fear grasp her and she wanted to know what was happening. She struggled against Sora's hold of her and she tried to peek above his shoulder to see behind him. His hold of her was strong as he tried to protect her from the horrible sight of people being slashed and killed. After struggling with Sora's hold of her she finally peeked out from his hold and she gasped in fear at what she saw. A large man with bulging muscles was riding on a brown steed as he charged towards them in glee. His facial expression twisted into a devilish smile as he chased them and he looked frightful with his long blade drawn ready to slash them with blood soaking the blade as it shined from the fire light. His arms and face covered in scars and his greasy brown hair drenched in blood.

"Brother behind you!" She cried in fear as she tugged his sleeve.

She could hear the man as he laughed the closer he got and Sora only panted in desperation as he tried to escape. Before she could warn her brother again the man had raised his sword and with a loud ringing in the air he brought his sword down onto Sora slashing his leg to stop him from running. He cried out in pain and nearly tumbled and fell, his grip on her loosening as he stumbled. With great effort he continued limping as he continued on, grunting in pain. The man laughing as he circled around them lazily, like a predator playing with its prey.

"Where do you think you're going you little rat?" The man provoked as he watched Sora pant and struggle to stay standing. She could feel him shiver as he held her closer towards him and he pat her head as she began to quiver.

"It's alright Orihime. Don't worry, I'll protect you." He cooed into her ear as he tried to sooth her. "No matter what I'll get you to safety." He promised. The man bellowed with laughter and Orihime could hear the ring of his blade as he raised his sword again, the man's steed started to gallop towards them and each step was agonizing to her. He squeezed her tight and she struggled in his arms trying to do something, anything to help him. A loud cry rang through the air and she could feel the impact of the man's sword as he slashed at her brother. He screamed in pain and he fell to his knees still holding onto her tightly.

"Brother!" She wailed in despair. She tried to push his arms away from her to see what had happened but his sturdy hand held her head in place and he groaned.

"Don't look Orihime! Please!" He begged as he cried in agony. He shivered and slowly got up and she couldn't take it anymore. With strength she pushed his hands away and she saw something she could never forget. Blood had soaked through his thin shirt and his face was pale and sweaty, his eyes full of unshed tears. She could feel her heart breaking at the sight of him and her eyes filled with tears. He had taken a horrible risk in protecting her and in doing so was cut down. A large gash from the right side of his body to his left hip ran diagonally across his torso and she started to cry. In panic she searched from the man that had cut her brother and she saw him as he sat confidently on his horse as he watched them in delight, his blade hanging loosely in his grip as blood dripped from the tip of the sword. Her blood boiled in anger and she glared at the man in disgust and pure rage and she held Sora as she tucked his head into her shoulder trying to shield him just as he did for her moments ago.

"What's this? You have a nice expression on your face there lass. I like it! How about you come with me eh?" He snickered as he leered at her with his beady brown eyes.

"Never! I hate you!" Orihime screamed in anger as she glared at him. He laughed in glee and she felt Sora's breath stutter as he pushed out from her embrace and gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Don't worry brother! I'll protect you this time. I won't let that man hurt you." She declared with determination.

"No Orihime, I'm sorry but that's my duty as.. a big brother. Please - forgive me Orihime." He whispered in grief as he stuttered, his voice teetering off into pain. Before she knew it she felt a hard hit against the back of her head and she suddenly felt dizzy as she was beginning to loose consciousness.

"I love you Orihime. Forgive me." Those were the last words she remembered hearing as darkness swept over her.

* * *

She felt warm as something soft was beneath her almost as if she was being embraced. It was comforting and blissful. She didn't want to leave this cocoon of tranquility, not after what had haunted her. Wait her brother and the fire! What had happened? She bolted awake in fear and was slightly dizzy from the whiplash. She was in a cave of sorts from the looks of things. She looked around in awe and confusion as she gathered her surroundings. The cave was beautiful; soft light glowed from small fireflies as they buzzed around and bright crystals grew from rocks that clung to the walls of the cave and glittered in the soft light. Pools of clear blue water surrounded her and moss grew on the hard cold ground as well as mushrooms and other plant life. She could see faint light from the stars peeking through the holes in the ceiling almost like a beam of light peeking through.

"You're awake, finally." A deep, calm voice cut through her exploration.

She jolted in surprise and turned towards her right and found that she was not alone. A large lean but muscular man was sitting by her near a fire calmly with his forearms resting on his thighs as he hunched over staring into the fire with a blank expression. He slowly turned his attention to her and she was stunned at his appearance. He looked odd to say the least but mesmerizing. His eyes were a dark red colour, something she had never seen in another person before, his nose and jaw was covered with light grey bandages as well as the rest of his body. Some of the bandages hung loosely around him, other twisted and turned to wrap around his chest and arms and there seemed to be a black like mist that covered the rest of his body and swirled around him, almost like a floating cape that hovered around him. What was the most striking was his long, jet black hair that cascaded down his lean body and trailed behind him. She had never seen someone so intriguing before, he was strange and his appearance was very peculiar. However she noticed that she couldn't sense anything from him. Usually when she was around people there was almost something could sense about them; whether it was their body heat, smells or general presence about them, there was always something to each individual person, but with this man there was nothing. She couldn't feel or smell anything from him. He was eerie and she felt uncomfortable as he stared at her; his eyes empty and cold.

"Um.. where am I? And who are you mister?" She inquired in a quiet tone. She was afraid of his overbearing stare and his cold, detached aura.

"You're in the forest at the back of Karakura." He answered coldly. She waited for him to introduce himself or say anything else but he continued to stare at her.

"My-my brother, do you know where he is?" She asked in a quivering tone. She started to feel uncomfortable and she wanted to know where Sora was. She had to know if he was alright. The man continued to stare at her, almost as if he was considering something before he turned back to the fire, avoiding eye contact with her. The silence was killing her as she waiting patiently for his answer and the crackling of the fire echoed loudly through the tension between her and the man.

"Your brother- is dead." His voice was devoid of emotion as he answered.

As soon as those words left his mouth, Orihime felt as if her heart broke in two. She sat stunned and tried to process his words. Her brother was dead? No it couldn't be! It was impossible! It couldn't be true, it couldn't. He was the only family she had left and now he too was gone. She felt a heavy sadness wash over her like a tidal wave; her eyes watered and fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she started to sob in anguish. Her cries echoed throughout the cave and she felt empty; her soul crushed and her mind in chaos. The man turned his attention back to her as she wailed, he provided no comfort to her either physically or emotionally and simply watched her as she cried. She clutched the blanket in her tiny hands and covered her face in her lap, letting her tears soak the blanket.

"He carried you to me you know. With his last breath he asked me to look after you. He protected you till the end." The man's voice had broken her cries and she looked up at him, her sobs softening with his words. His eyes seemed to gleam in the firelight, a sudden emotion flickered into his ruby orbs and for the first time he seemed to express an emotion that seemed like empathy. But it disappeared as quickly as it came and his blank expression returned. Somehow she felt that those words were his way of comforting her; although it was small, his words had managed to give her some comfort and she knew in the that moment he was more human than his appearance seemed. She hiccuped as she continued to cry softly and she clung to his words desperately.

"You can call me Amaris. Your brother named me, think of it as his parting words." He disclosed to her in a softer tone. His voice rumbling gently.

So her brother named him after the moon. True to her brother's words, this man did seem like a man from the moon; he was both calm and sombre like the moon itself. Even among the despair, he had provided her with some form of comfort and closure about her brother. Like the moon, he guided her in the darkness and he did seem Godly. She remembered her brother saying that Gods are neutral in their mannerisms and judgments; that they were calm and showed no emotions since they were above humanly attachments. She had to agree, he was exactly like her brother had named him. She could feel some warmth enter her heart and decided that he was kinder than he seemed.

"Amaris..." She mumbled sombrely. The name rolled on her tongue and she felt that a piece of her brother remained with her. As soon as she had said his name the man seemed slightly surprised; his eyes wide and his body posture more alert. It was the first spark of emotion she saw on his face and she was confused at his change in expression. Almost disturbed at his own confusion, he schooled his face back into his impassive expression and turned away from her inquisitive eyes.

"This is my cave and only I dwell in this forest so you should be safe here. Anything in this cave is yours. Feel free to use what you want. Rest for now, it is night and the forest can be overwhelming for a human like yourself." He explained in a firm tone.

So based from what he said, he really wasn't human. Even though she now knew he wasn't human, she wasn't scared of him at all. Her first impression of him was cold and impassive, but based on what she saw of his words and actions he was a paradox; cold but warm. She got up from her moss bed and walked over towards the pools of water on the cave floor. The water was crystal clear and she carefully dipped her small digits into the water, testing the temperature. It was cold and she jumped at the shock of rigid coldness. She splashed her hands into the water deciding to just wash her face and hands from soot and dried tears that clung to her face. The water was refreshing on her flushed face and she looked more dishevelled than she thought. She cleaned up the best she could then ran back towards the bed of moss and grabbed the blanket and wrapped herself in it, the whole time she felt his eyes watching her. Feeling jittery she decided that she wanted to observe Amaris up closer and wanted to get a better glimpse at him from her curiosity. 

She inched her way towards him in cautiousness and in a nervous bought of energy sat close to the fire on his left, not too far away from him since she was afraid of being alone and he provided her with some comfort now that she knew her brother was really gone. Just having his presence nearby helped her feel calmer and less empty. She huddled underneath the blanket and tried to subtly observe him as she peeked up at him through her long hair. Her brother had told her it's not nice to stare and she tried to be polite to her saviour. He paid little attention to her and instead seemed preoccupied with the fire and she was honestly curious about what his face looked like under all the bandages. Was he hurt? Did he have to wear the bandages? If so, why? Why are his eyes red? What is the black smoke that hovers around him? She had so many questions she wanted to ask about him but she kept her questions to herself. She was still afraid of him and she didn't want to anger him in fear that he would find her a nuisance and leave her. Almost as if he could read her thoughts, his eyes bore to hers and she looked away in shame and embarrassment at being caught staring at him.

"Are you afraid of me child?" He inquired with a softer tone than before. Surprisingly she didn't feel that scared of him. Although she was cautious of him and he was intimidating, she was not scared. What she really was afraid of was him leaving her all alone in this forest with nowhere to go and none to help her ease the emptiness she felt.

"No." She answered truthfully in a hushed tone. She smiled at him sadly and once again he looked genuinely shocked. He stared at her for a few minutes then pointed towards the bed of moss.

"Sleep child." He murmured.

She felt the need to obey him since she didn't want to bother him anymore than she already could have. She slowly got up then walked back to the soft moss bed and lied back down. She huddled back into a small ball almost as if she was soothing herself and she felt the warmth of the fire on her back; the trickle of the water clearing her mind of her happy memories that she shared with her brother. Despair had found her heart again and she sniffled and tucked her head under the blanket to hide herself and quieten her cries. She heard Amaris shift and his soft footsteps as he walked towards her and she covered her palm over her mouth to stop her crying. Was he going to tell her to stop? Was he angry at her? She shivered as she heard him kneel and could see the outline of his body through the thin blanket and his shadow loom over her.

"Rest." He stressed lightly. His voice was very soft and suddenly she felt his hand patting her head through the blanket. She trembled at his touch, even through the blanket she could feel his kindness seep into her and she muffled a soft cry. His soft pats and the sounds of water eventually lulled her into a listless sleep.

* * *

The sounds of birds chirping had caused her to wake up from her slumber. As she opened her tired eyes she saw the sun's rays peek through the holes of the ceiling and the light was bright. She squinted and slowly sat up. Now that the sun had provided more light into the cave, everything looked different than during the night. The glowing crystals were dim and the water shined and glowed less, the fireflies were nowhere to be found. She turned to her right and saw that the fire had been put out a long time ago; the embers died out and all that was left was burnt wood and charred ashes. Amaris was nowhere to be found and Orihime felt a sudden chill from his absence. Had she imagined Amaris in grief of loosing her brother? Was he a figment of her imagination? Or had he really left her to fend for herself? Horrible thoughts swirled around her mind and she ran out towards the blinding light and out the cave in fear and panic. Blinding light from the sun and the sound of loud birds chirping greeted her eyes the moment she burst out of the cave. Everything around her was bright and cheerful; the grass was crisp and green, the trees tall and luscious, a small river ran past the mouth of the cave and she could see small animals run around the river. The sun reflected off the water surface and the river looked like twinkling stars. Even though everything look serene, she felt cold and scared. Her mind was in turmoil and she found no solace in the beauty around her.

"You're awake." She turned around swiftly, and standing there in the shining light was Amaris. He looked calm and his expression was still blank. She had never been so relieved to hear someone's voice until now. She felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and small tears fell down her face. She ran towards him, her arms opened wide in relief as she sought his solace. Before she could even embrace him, he backed away from her outstretched arms and she stopped in fear that she had crossed his boundaries or made him angry.

"You mustn't touch me. Any living thing that does has not fared well child." He warned calmly. She stared up at him in confusion and felt less upset at his actions knowing that he stopped her not out of revulsion but for a different reason. As if sensing her confusion he walked towards a bundle of white bell flowers and plucked one in his nimble bandaged fingers. "Watch closely." He instructed. She focused on the flower and within seconds the flower wilted, going limp then all the life and colour drained from it, then crumpled into ashes. It was like watching the fall season come and go in a matter of seconds.

"I'm like death itself. Nothing can stand my touch. Be mindful not to attempt to touch me in the future." He emphasized as he walked back towards Orihime. She nodded her head in understanding. Somehow those words sounded familiar and she felt a sense of nostalgia from his words. As she stood thinking her stomach growled loudly in protest and broke her concentration and disturbed the peaceful atmosphere between them. She blushed in embarrassment at her stomach and fiddled with her dress to avoid his stare.

"Come with me, we'll find you something to eat." He ordered with the wave of his hand and walked off towards the forest leaving her behind.

She dashed to catch up with his long strides and stopped by his left side all the while observing him from her peripheral vision. Walking side by side to him made her realize how much taller he was compared to her. She barely even reached his stomach, her head only reaching his pelvis area. Upon closer inspection she noticed that the weird mist swirled around him almost as if it was protecting him and creating a wall around him. She noticed that any butterfly or bug that was flying around the area would almost go around or above Amaris and never past him, almost as if the insects were scared of the black mist. However even as close as she stood beside him, the mist never touched or attacked her; in fact it seemed as if the mist danced around her, like it was reaching towards her and protecting her in extension to him. It was a part of him and must be controlled by him, she had guessed. She smiled as she felt her chest tickle with warmth from his kind actions. Whether they were conscious or not, she still felt grateful towards him.

They continued to walk in peaceful silence and she simply took everything in stride as she followed him. She trusted him to lead the way and she was enjoying the beautiful scenery. It was a nice distraction and took her mind off of sad thoughts about her brother. Finally Amaris stopped and she did too. Up ahead was various bushes and plants in a small area with oak trees. He led her towards one of the many bushes and she could see that there was black berries and raspberries growing on the bushes.

"You can eat these for now until I get you something else. They are fresh and should keep your hunger at bay." She ran past him in hunger and excitement. It was a long time since she was able to have fresh berries since they were hard to come by and a bit expensive, but she loved the juice and sour taste of them.

"Thank you Amaris." She mumbled bashfully before she plucked a berry off a branch. He nodded his head and turned around and sat down by a tree, resting his back against the tree trunk and crossed his arms as he watched her eat in silence. Although it was unsettling to have him watch her as she ate she stuffed her mouth with as many berries as she could. He looked bored and she didn't want to annoy him any further than he must be feeling already. His life had changed now that she had been thrust upon him and he must feel burdened having her tag along. She frowned down at a raspberry that was in her hand and felt gloomy at her own thoughts.

"Don't rush, take your time." He interrupted her in a raspy voice. She had a feeling that he somehow was able to read her thoughts and he was reassuring her in his own way. She smiled at him and she felt her worries vanish. She plucked another berry and walked towards him then presented the berry to him.

"Would you like one?" She asked softly.

"No, you eat them. I don't need to eat as often as you do." He explained. She tilted her head in wonder and felt puzzled by this piece of information. She felt bad that she could eat such a delight and he couldn't. It nagged at her and she felt guilty for being able to eat such a treat.

"Eat. Don't worry about me." He sighed as if he sensed her distress.

She obeyed and munched on the fruit enjoying the fresh taste and observed him from afar. He was as gentle as his actions and his voice seemed. Everything about him was like water; his movements careful and flowed, his voice was like the rumble of waves and his whole demeanour was calming to be around. She enjoyed being by his side even if he wasn't very cheerful or bright. He hardly spoke to her unless he sensed her discomfort or spoken to. His company was a friendly reminder that she wasn't alone, even if she couldn't sense him at all, as long as she could see him near by she felt at ease. She finished eating and she ran back towards Amaris awaiting further instructions.

"Follow me." He instructed as he got up and walked past Orihime. She complied and walked beside him once again and smiled happily now that her hunger was satiated. Her footsteps were the only thing that she could heard aside from birds singing and she couldn't hear his footsteps at all. He made no sound as he walked and she found that to be very interesting. They continued walking for a while longer and she began to wonder where he was leading her until he pushed past some bushes. 

"We've arrived." He stated simply as he pushed some bushes with his hand.

The view past him was stunning. A huge open flower field was ahead of them; a wide expanse of colours burst around and she could smell different scents from the flowers as the wind blew in her face. She ran past him in eagerness and was greeted with thousands of flowers expanding as far as she could see. Some flowers she recognized and other she didn't. She could name some of them off the top of her head since Sora had taught her the names of some flowers they would come across whenever they would travel together. Peonies, irises, tulips, sun flowers and many other flowers covered the field. She squealed with joy as she sprinted through the tall grass and jumped in joy. She spun around and enjoyed the sun and countless flowers that tickled her fingertips as she ran around. She stopped running feeling out of breath and turned back around and she saw Amaris as he sat down among the flowers cross legged. He stood out like a sore thumb since he was covered in black and grey and he was fairly tall so she could easily find him among all the flowers. She dashed back towards him and stood at eye level with him and she smiled.

He looked at ease and he didn't move at all. He sat as still as a tree and she wondered if he even needed to breath. She wanted to thank him some how but she didn't know how. Even with the limited time that she spent with him she was entirely grateful to him for what he did. He saved her and had accepted her brother's last wishes and was taking care of her. He could have left her, he didn't need to be doing this for her but he did anyways. His kindness had touched her heart and she felt a small burst of hope that perhaps she could live on even without Sora. With courage she raised both her hands and reached towards his face. Remembering his words of warning from before she stopped mere inches from his cheeks and smiled with a doleful expression on her face.

"Thank you Amaris. Thank you." She cried. Somehow she knew that could do it. She could live without Sora. With a wary heart she expressed her elation to him and thought that she could live as long as he was by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing it and I'll be leaving a link down below. This chapter was mostly in Orihime's POV since I wanted to capture her thoughts and feelings towards Ichigo. I know that not a lot of things happened during this chapter but I wanted to set the context and feel between the characters before anything would happen. It's important that they get used to each other first! Next chapter will be more exciting, I promise.
> 
> This is what the cave looks like: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e8/10/d0/e810d0bd98b55ab7a45f16fa00ecd691.jpg
> 
> I'll see you guys next week!


	3. The Lady in White

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again,
> 
> It's been a while since the last update. After celebrating another passage of my life and turning one year older, I feel that I should update now and sorry for being lazy :P Although my birthday was uneventful I hope everyone is having a good summer. I also want to thank everyone who commented and subbed/gave kudos to my story. I really appreciate all the views and I LOVE reading your comments.
> 
> Without further ado here is chapter 3.

She smiled at him in gratitude and warmth and he could feel the happiness and woeful sorrow wash off of her as she hovered near him. Her smile was bright despite the lingering sadness that she felt and he found her to be truly mesmerizing. The wind blew and picked up making the flowers dance and the scent of the countless flowers bloom in the air. Orihime's hair cascaded down her slim shoulders and settled which framed her round flushed face. Her tears glistened in the sun's rays and her irritated nose had a pinkish hue which made her seem all the more beautiful to him. She seemed purely innocent and fragile during this moment and he didn't want to break the serene atmosphere that cloaked them. It was times like these that he wished he could feel the touch of another; to share in the moments of life that he was deprived of and craved for from the bottom of his heart. He felt anger and hatred at himself creep its way into his heart and felt bitter for allowing such thoughts and emotions to weasel their way in despite the passage of the new moon. It made his curse all the more detestable and served to only make him more miserable. 

"Come, let's go. We should find you better things to eat." He interrupted in a deadpan tone of voice as he stood up abruptly and dusted his hakama pants from the lingering pollen and grass.

The sudden twist of atmosphere was like a backlash for Orihime. Amaris' sudden change in attitude and slight frown of his brow concerned her and she wondered what had bothered him enough to make that expression. He seemed angry, sad even when she had thanked him. Did she upset him somehow? The last thing she wanted to do was to make him angry or upset him after all he had done for her. Amaris was so befuddling to her and she couldn't understand what he was possibly thinking. They continued walking through the forest, the calls of birds and animals in the distance and the silence between them somewhat stifling despite the beauty around them. As they continued down the forest trail Orihime noticed another strange thing about Amaris. He seemed more alert and agitated than when they were at the flower field. Something was bothering him and he was clearly on edge. His pace started to pick up and she had to start running after his long strides to keep up to his pace.

They walked for a while and Orihime's feet were starting to hurt from the continuous track and harsh terrain that they trudged through. She had no idea where he was taking her but he seemed like he knew the forest like the back of his hands as he expertly dodged any tree branches with nimble movements; his black aura like smoke moved and twisted as it pushed aside leaves and bushes that would get in his way. The smoke acted on its own, almost as if it had a life of its own and was a separate entity from Amaris. It was marvellous to see and Orihime was even more curious about him.

"We've arrived." He interrupted with a steady tone as he turned to her.

The smell of fresh earth and the sounds of water gave way to a small paradise of a huge tree canopy and waterfall. The sunlight peaked through the tall expanse of tree branches and the trickle of water was pleasant. Fresh water was pouring from the strong waterfall into a large pond full of large stones, moss and what looked like snow white and plum coloured waterlilies covering the water's surface. It was a paradise and calmed Orihime's heart, it was a peaceful place to settle down after all the walking and she couldn't help the little smile and soft giggles that escaped her. Amaris walked towards the water and sat down by the edge of the pond.

"Come, wash up. There should be some fish for you to eat." He claimed gently and gestured towards the pond with a small nod of his head; his black long hair tousled with his movements. 

Orihime ran over towards where he sat and hesitantly approached the water. She dipped a few of her digits in to get a feel of the temperature, the water was cool but not freezing. It was refreshing and she felt that it was a good chance to wash herself better and get some of the residue soot and dirt off of herself. She tip-toed her way into the pond and lifted the tattered bottom of her dirty blue dress and steadily went into the water. Thankfully it was waist deep so she wouldn't drown. The cool water was heavenly on her heated skin and she rubbed her skin to clean herself. She could feel Amaris' eyes on her and she felt somewhat bashful that he was paying so much attention to her bathing. Even when Sora and her bathed together he always left a bit of space between them and would turn his back towards her. However Amaris didn't seem to be bothered at all with her naked shoulders and bare legs.

She bashfully turned her head to take a peek at him to see what he was observing so diligently and noticed that he was agitated. His eyes were searching the area, his head whisking left and right, brow furrowing and his muscles taunt, ready to spring into action if needed. He was clearly scouting the area, even before he seemed to be alert and on edge at something.

"A-Amaris, is something wrong?" Orihime stuttered.

Before she could even get a answer, he disappeared from her sight and in a flash was standing in front of her; his broad back facing her and his black aura twisting and turning wildly, almost as if the smoke itself was angry. The water rippled and splashed from his sudden appearance and she stood shell shocked from his quick movements. Her eyes could hardly even track how fast he moved and she was startled.

"Don't move. Stay behind me." Amaris ordered. His voice dripping in a clipped manner and his tone firm.

In the distance near the treeline and bushes was a white figure, the shade and trees were blocking the person's face and they were shielded from view. The temperature in the air suddenly dropped as if a winter wind blew through and Orihime shivered from the quick change; her skin getting goosebumps from the cold water and crisp air. The figure slowly stepped out and into the light and Orihime's breath caught at what she saw. There standing proudly was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She was relatively short in height but her figure was lean and slim. Her white robes were long and trailed down her frame nicely; white baby blue ribbons floating behind her and around her sleeved arms. Crystal blue ice in the shape of a diamond was around the chest of her robes, almost as if the ice was holding her robes together. She had beautiful round, big, purple eyes like an iris flower and her hair was short, stopping at her slim jawline. Her eyebrows were short and small just like her nose and ears and her hair was decorated with two delicate looking ice flower-like pins that were elaborately and elegantly done. Tufts of cool air and snow hovered around her and her eyelashes seemed to be covered in a light layer of frost. Her stature seemed elegant and she wore a smirk on her face as she observed the two of them.

"My, it's been a while since we've last seen each other hasn't it?" The lady in white jested in hushed tone. Her voice was like velvet and smooth; soft to the ears and it reminded Orihime of a gentle, cool winter snow fall. Everything about this women radiated elegance with a playful undertone. Amaris sighed and his shoulders relaxed and slumped forward expressing that the tension had left. He moved to the side and scratched the base of his neck.

"I was wondering how much longer you were going to follow us. What are you doing here Goddess of winter?" Amaris grumbled.

"Oh come now, let's refrain from such burdensome titles. After all these years you should call me Rukia like you used to." The woman called Rukia teased as she walked forward towards the pond gracefully.

"What do you want Rukia?" Amaris growled lightly as his body tensed and he stepped slightly in front of Orihime blocking her from Rukia.

"Why to see you and your little darling of course! There's been rumours among the others that you have taken in a human child. Clearly they were true. I came to see who was the little cutie who stole your black heart and made you so soft." Rukia goaded as she giggled slightly.

"Leave, you're annoying me." He barked in a cold tone as he waved his hand in a gesture of haste.

"Don't be a spoiled sport. I want to see her!" Rukia whined as she peeked at Orihime from over Amaris' shoulder.

"Ah! There you are. Oh my you're so cute. What an adorable little human!" Rukia burst with excitement as she pushed Amaris out of the way with a fierce hand and he stumbled to the left, splashing water around and disrupting the water's smooth surface.

At Rukia's exploding energy and excitement, Orihime was both nervous and confused. From what Amaris had said Rukia, as he called her, was the Goddess of winter and knowing that she was in the presence of not one but two gods was daunting and nerve racking. So this was the woman who was responsible for the changing of the seasons to winter and would bring about the cold and harsh snow. Orihime was frankly shocked that someone so playful and lively was responsible for the season winter. Winter brought on cold, and death and only reminded Orihime of the lonely nights she would spend without Sora as he would travel to try to scavenge any food for them during the season. It was such an odd opposition that someone like her was responsible for such a gloomy season.

Orihime was brought out of her thoughts when Rukia ran towards her and grabbed her cheeks with her pale, freezing hands and squished her face as she observed Orihime. The sudden chill of her hands made Orihime shiver and squeak at how cold Rukia was.

"Oh my, you're even prettier up close and so soft too! Are all human children like this or just you? Such interesting coloured eyes and hair! How old are you dear?" Rukia questioned as she bombarded her personal space as she man handled her.

"Rukia, that's enough. Leave her be." Amaris interjected as he grabbed Rukia's wrist and pulled her off of Orihime.

"Fine, jeez don't act like you have something up your butt." Rukia grumbled as she pouted.

Orihime giggled at Rukia's blunt mannerisms and her crude remarks. She found that Rukia was a very kind hearted person and she already like her. All of Orihime's previous apprehension and nervousness melted away at their playful banter and she knew that this goddess was gentle at heart.

"Now that you've seen her, leave. You're freezing everything and making the water cold." He demanded as he walked past Rukia and towards the bank of the pond to get out of the water.

"It's not like you can feel it. You know that I can't help it. It honestly has been a while and I wanted to see you too. I'm glad that you seem to be doing well."

"I'm fine. Leave before I get the god of sport to come and get you himself. You wouldn't want your husband to find you with another man would you?" Amaris dismissed lightly as he sat down on a large rock and placed his chin in his bandaged hand.

"Ha, nice try. I'm here to stay for the day. I have much to discuss with this little girl and I'm curious about her." Rukia protested. "Besides you have nothing to do being stuck here and all."

"I swear every time it's the new cycle you get so-"

"Rukia, that's enough. If you don't want to piss me off then shut up." Amaris snapped. His tone of voice left out any of the peaceful banter that had been between them moments ago and his aura turned darker as the black waves rumbled and twitched in agitation. His red eyes burned and his brow was scrunched in rage. Even without being able to see his mouth and jawline, Orihime could tell that his jaw was clenched and his body was rigid.

Rukia sighed and shook her head and smiled apologetically then turned her attention back to Orihime. "It seems like I've made him angry. Shall we get out of this cold water and somewhere more comfortable so we can have a chat?" Rukia offered softly with a tender smile.

Orihime nodded her head and with that followed Rukia out of the chilled water and onto the soft, warm grass and under the sun by the pond. The sun warded off the lingering cold that clung to her skin and was drying off her clothes and hair. Rukia sat poised on a larger rock by the water and observed Orihime as she nervously played with her dress to avoid looking at Rukia's purple eyes. There was so much that Orihime wanted to ask her about Amaris and their relationship. Why was Rukia able to touch him and remain unscathed? How long had they known each other for? What did she mean about the 'new cycle' and why had Amaris gotten so angry about it? There was just so much she wanted to know but she refrained from asking since she was nervous around the Goddess and didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

"Tell me dear, what's your name?" Rukia asked sweetly.

"I'm called Orihime goddess of winter." Orihime answered shyly as she played with the wet ends of her hair.

"What a lovely name. Please feel free to call me Rukia. Goddess of winter is such a boring and long title. I would prefer it if you could refer to me casually."

"Yes Rukia." Orihime whispered and smiled happily.

"You're so polite. I can tell you have a tender heart. I like you. So I know that you're burning with questions that you want to ask me. Go ahead ask away, I'm happy to answer anything." Rukia offered almost as if she sensed Orihime's anxiousness.

"Um... Rukia, why can you... I mean... how can you just...." Orihime fumbled with her words as she tried to get her first question out.

"Why can I touch him so easily without being harmed you mean?" She finished for Orihime in a thoughtful tone.

"Yes. Amaris warned me not to touch him and he showed me that the things he touches die. How can you touch him?" Orihime asked as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

"I'm a goddess. Time does not effect me, I'm immortal so I'm not bound to time like you are my dear. I do not age, get sick or feel the effects of death. Amaris... as you call him... is different than any other god. He is bound to death and anything mortal cannot stand anything that is boundless. Death itself is boundless, it affects everyone and is endless. It knows no boundaries and has no limits. Amaris is special Orihime. It is hard for me to explain but he cannot harm me since I'm not bound like he is. You're not bound the same way he is either. A bond must be formed for him to be able to touch anything, like the bond he has to this land. He is tied to it so he is bound to the land and can touch anything that he is bound to. Some things he can touch and other things he can't. It's a very thin boundary between what can be touched and what can't, but essentially there must be a strong soul bond of sorts to allow him to touch things freely without feeling the effects of death." She explained kindly.

Rukia turned her attention to Amaris and smiled sombrely. Her expression turning sad as her lips settled into a grim smile and her brows furrowed and her eyes down cast. "In some ways I feel sorry for him. I don't know if he told you this or not, but he is bound in more ways than one. Unlike other gods and goddesses he is not free like us. He is imprisoned here and cannot leave Karakura at all. He is constantly punished for something he did not do and suffers a great deal." She lamented.

"I can't tell you the details since he would be livid, but as his friend I truly want to seem him happy and free from the bottom of my heart. Orihime, is it alright if I ask you a favour?" She inquired as she turned back to Orihime, her eyes pleading and her expression sorrowful.

Orihime was startled from her expression and her disposition. Rukia was being very genuine with her and Orihime could feel her upset mood as it washed over her like ice and she felt a sudden sorrow swallow the lump in her throat.

"Please take care of him. Watch over him, he is a lonely soul and his heart remains empty even to this day. At this rate I fear that he will be swallowed up by his own fears. I think that you can save him from himself. From what I saw today, I can say that he's rather attached to you. I know that this will be a good thing for him." She consoled.

Hearing her words of worry Orihime nodded and turned her attention back to Amaris. He sat quietly on his rock and further away from the two of them as he was looking far into the distance; his mind wondering off and his gaze glazed. To Orihime, he looked lonely and distant even though he had company and somehow, Orihime knew what Rukia was talking about. He looked genuinely isolated, everything around him carrying on happily while he was stuck in a dark abyss. He stuck out like a sore thumb among the forest and he looked out of place; almost as if he was thrown in without his consent. It pained Orihime to know that he was frozen, stuck in his own pain. She wanted to ease his sorrow and share his pain.

"Rukia, why is he...stuck? What is hurting him so much?"

"I cannot tell you child. He has to tell you himself." She declined. "Well enough with this gloomy talk. How about you tell me about yourself?"

"I don't know what to say... w-what would you like to know?" Orihime stuttered as she felt self-conscious now that the attention was directed to her.

"How old are you? How did Amaris find you?" She questioned animatedly as she leaned towards her.

"I'm six years old, and my brother saved me by taking me away from Karakura town and into the forest. Amaris found me when my brother died." Orihime muttered sadly.

"Oh you poor thing. I see, well I'm glad that that block head decided to take you in." She consoled as she tenderly pat Orihime's head and pulled her into a tight hug. Although Rukia's body was cold and Orihime could feel freezing air seeping into her body, her heart felt warm at Rukia's thoughtfulness.

"Hey, didn't I say not to bother her too much? At this rate you're going to freeze her to death." Amaris suddenly interrupted as he walked over towards the pair.

"Oh shush. You're ruining the moment with your over-protectiveness. Your constant hovering is annoying. If you want her to yourself just say so." Rukia jabbed with a smug expression as she squeezed Orihime tighter into her bosom.

"What? Sh-shut up Rukia. I just said to leave her alone, not that I wanted her. What is wrong with you? Did all that snow freeze your brain?" He argued back as he turned his back towards Rukia.

"Hmm.. how interesting. Have you gotten so attached to her already? You're acting all jealous. Who knew that the infamous death god could act so petty?" She goaded devilishly.

"Just go already. I'm tired and your constant pestering is draining my energy." He groaned.

"Ohhh you're tired... well that's new. Oh and another thing, so you've changed your name to Amaris this time? Should I call you that from now on or Ich-"

"Rukia...are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?" He hissed viciously as his voice sounded darker and colder than ever. His face turned venomous and his red eyes glowed brightly.

The sudden increase in his aura scared Orihime. His aura turned murderous and the air became stifling and dreary. Seconds later Orihime felt all her life being drained from her and her knees wobbled and she slumped into Rukia. Her mind went hazy and she felt light headed. She couldn't breathe and she felt like she was drowning in ice water.

"Amaris! Stop, if you don't want to kill Orihime calm down. Look at what you've done." Rukia growled as she held onto Orihime desperately and shielded her from his wrath.

Amaris growled then panted from the strain of restraining himself. He then took a deep breath and the stifling aura reduced and Orihime could feel some air seep back into her lungs. The air became lighter and her cold body regained some warmth. Rukia then snapped her fingers and a soft pink cloth appeared and she wrapped Orihime in it. A gush of heat surrounded Orihime as soon as she was wrapped in the cloth and her body felt light and relaxed.

"This is a cloth made by my brother the God of Spring who gifted it to me. It will keep you warm and protect you from Amaris' aura. It is made from sakura petals which have the breath of live in them. He should be able to touch you if you wear this cloth at all times, but don't rely on it. It can't be used for long periods of time since his aura is strong." Rukia instructed carefully as she held Orihime.

"Consider it a gift of my goodwill despite your shitty attitude. Take her to rest, you've done enough damage." Rukia ordered darkly as she snapped at Amaris in anger.

She carefully passed Orihime to Amaris and he held Orihime in his steady hands, the cloth covering her from head to toe and Rukia swiftly turned and walked briskly towards the treeline, her feet stomping onto the ground in her fit of anger.

"I'll come back when you've learned to control your temper. Maybe next time I'll come when the moon is gone like last night. You're more tolerable then." And with the she vanished into thin air leaving behind snow flakes as they gently fell to the earth and melted away with the sun.

Amaris stood frozen as he held Orihime and felt his anger vanish. Rukia was clearly looking out for him and he lashed out at her. His emotions were running on high and he was still unstable after the passage of the new cycle. He was angry at himself for behaving like that towards Rukia. Even after everything that he had been through she was always there supporting him and he acted cruel towards a dear friend. He would try and apologize the next time he saw her but for now he needed to take care of Orihime. His aura had affected her greatly and he had forgotten how powerful he was against humans and how dangerous he could be when threatened. His aura had drained some of her life energy and he needed her to get some rest. With that in mind, he walked back from the pond and went back on the track home towards his cave. Orihime was rolled up in a small ball and she was still, hardly moving in his grip and he wondered what she could be feeling and thinking right now. She didn't seem scared nor did she exude an aura of anger, sadness or fear, so he knew that she was better but he felt that he had hurt her unnecessarily. In his curiosity he peeked down at Orihime to find her staring at him with a glum expression. Her hand were gripping his shoulders through the cloth and he could feel her strong grip as she held him.

"Amaris, I'm fine. Please don't be angry, it's not your fault. I'm sorry." Orihime whispered dejectedly.

"Why are you apologizing silly girl? I should be the one apologizing. I let my anger get the better of me. Rest now." He soothed gently.

Orihime's heart warmed at his tender voice and soothing words. She had never seen him so caring before. Even though she had been with him for barely two days his shift in behaviour was more than welcome. When she had first met him, he seemed inhuman; not just in his appearance but in his mannerisms and actions. He was cold, hardly spoke and had no expression. He did not go out of his way to console or soothe her. Yet in just a day he had changed. His appearance had changed slightly as well. Up close she could see the little changes that occurred in him. His complexion, although still ghostly white, held a darker shade of peach than last night. His skin was still nowhere near human coloured but it held more youthful energy and seemed more lively than before. His eyes were still red but instead of a ruby colour they had a sheen of brown in them almost looking slightly copper coloured in the light.

The changes to his physical appearance hadn't been the only thing that Orihime had noticed. His attitude and change in demeanour was also drastic compared to what she had seen. He was more human in his facial expressions and expressed a larger range of emotions than he did the night before. She found this new discovery both thrilling and puzzling. Did this massive change have something to do with what Rukia was mentioning about the 'new cycle'? If so what was the cycle about? Orihime found that being with Amaris was one big mystery. Perhaps she would never learn all of his secrets but only time could tell. Another thing that troubled her was what Rukia had said back at the pond. Apparently Amaris had another name that he was called by in the past but he was rather adamant about not being referred to his old name. Just what was his true name and why was he hiding it from Orihime?

All these questions had racked her brain since her encounter with Rukia and she desperately wanted to know who Amaris really was. She desired from the bottom of her heart to get to know him and share a part of him. Her endless curiosity was itching to be satisfied but she would have to be patient and wait like Rukia had said; she would have to wait for Amaris to feel comfortable enough to tell her about himself one day. She vowed to herself that she would stay by his side and earn his trust little by little; that she would be the one to open his closed off heart and be the first to learn his pain. She would be the one to heal him if it's the last thing she would do. This she swore to herself.

Her pondering was cut short when she saw the familiar river stream and willow tree that signified the entrance to the cave that she had woken to the night before. As Amaris was walking towards the mouth of the cave he stopped and his grip on her tightened to the point that she could feel his bony hands poking her uncomfortably. He tensed then turned around and grumbled under his breath before he spoke in a demanding tone.

"Why don't you come out. I know you're there. Stop playing around." He ordered.

"It's good to see you too my boy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it ladies and gents! I wanted to introduce Rukia and wanted to have a bit of fun and wanted to create a peaceful but tense atmosphere in this chapter. I also love the idea of Rukia teasing the shit out of Ichigo. 
> 
> In case any of you were wondering, Rukia is in her hakka no togame form (bankai manifestation form). It was the closest I could get her to look like the goddess of snow/winter. If you wanted to see how she looks, I've left a link down below. 
> 
> https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-b720c694857d0e82ebb2ae8cfeaf8e98
> 
> I've sprinkled lots of little hints here and there as well as some interesting clues for you guys to think about and keep in the back of your heads. I hope that despite the lack of action in this chapter that you enjoyed it.
> 
> As usual I'll see you guys next week <3


	4. What we call "heart"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> *peeks around the corner* I'm sorry... I apologize for the late update! 
> 
> After finally finishing my contract at work, I now have ample free time to continue this fic since I don't want to abandon this work at all. But I will be starting another job on June 1st so I hope everyone is staying safe at home and that I'll have some time to update this more often. I had a hard time with this chapter getting back into the swing of writing again but I hope I did this chapter justice.
> 
> Here's some plot cookies and angst for you!
> 
> As usual leave a comment down below if you want to motivate my ass to write :P

The moment Orihime felt Amaris' hands tighten their hold on her, she jostled from her peaceful light slumber in his arms and was alert from the sudden change in his demeanour. He was tense, she could feel it through his hold on her as he held her closer. She tried to take a peek at the intruder from under the pink cloth but Amaris didn't seem to like that as he shifted his right arm around her and used his forearm to shield her from prying eyes. 

"Oh come now, don't be so cold to your dear old dad." The man's soothing timber voice teased.

"What are you doing here father?" Amaris inquired with a slight cold tone to his voice; almost rumbling in a low timbre.

"Why to see my dear son of course! Rumour has it that you have taken a human child under your wing and judging by the way you're holding her, it seems the rumours are true." He chuckled in a warm tone.

"Why can't people mind their own damn business. Do the Gods really have that much free time to be spying on my every move? And I haven't seen you since last month. What made you so curious to come here yourself? Don't you have something better to do?" Amaris grumbled under his breath as he shifted Orihime in his arms.

"Cold as always it seems. OH HOW I WISH MY DEAR WIFE COULD SEE YOU NOW!" The man cried in a playful manner that caught Orihime's interest. He was clearly being playful and he seemed genuinely kind judging by his voice and what he had said. Orihime then wondered why Amaris was not letting her near the man in question. She stayed quiet in his hold and tried to shift the cloth as she turned her head around to snag a peek.

"Enough. Leave, I have no interest in humouring you today father." Amaris sighed in what seemed like irritation.

"I don't need a reason to see my son do I? Besides I have some good news to share with you. BUT.... I'll only tell you if you let me see the girl you've been trying to hide away so desperately." He sang joyfully.

"Damn old man...fine but I don't want you making this a damn habit." Amaris growled.

Orihime could hear the man's footsteps and was excited to finally see the man who claimed to be Amaris' father. Would he be just as mysterious as Amaris? She was both elated and nervous since she was meeting yet another God within one day. She was feeling overwhelmed that there were so many Gods interested in her. Amaris looked down at Orihime and his ruby eyes bore into hers with an unreadable glint to them. He then shifted her in his arms and pulled the cover from only her head and let her sit on his forearm rather than being cradled in his hold. The bright light of the sun made her squint as she tried to gather her surroundings and was finally able to see the man that was intrigued with her.

He was tall, almost taller than Amaris and had jet black short hair with brown kind eyes. His expression was playful as his lips were turned up into a smile. He wore a jet black kimono with grey hakama pants, a white obi and haori underneath with straw sandals. Overtop his whole set of clothing, was a white torn looking Haori jacket that was pinned to one of his shoulders. Overall he looked the complete opposite of Amaris. His face however was similar to Amaris; both father and son shared the same strong jawline, brown eyes and handsome features. His complexion was completely tanned in comparison to Amaris and he looked almost human, except for the aura of power radiating from him. Orihime could tell that he was powerful; his aura poured out of him and wrapped around her like a clam dark night sky and she was instantly reminded of the moon during a clam summer night. It was peaceful and she felt serene being near the God and wondered what God he was.

"Hello my dear. I'm Isshin the God of the moon. It's a pleasure to meet you child." He introduced with a bright smile and leaned towards her.

"H-hello. I'm Orihime Inoue. It's... nice to meet you too." She whispered bashfully and felt her cheeks heat under his curious gaze. She shifted towards Amaris and squeezed his firm, broad shoulder in nervousness as Isshin chuckled.

"Well you're a very beautiful little child aren't you? May I ask you something Orihime?" He asked as he crossed his arms and stood before her.

"Yes."

"Do you like being with my son?"

Well that was an odd question. She wondered why he would ask something like that. She felt that the answer to such a question would be obvious. She should feel privileged to be with Amaris, let alone under the protection of a God. Her brother had said that Gods are mysterious beings that do not bother with humanly affairs; that they do not interfere nor care much for the trails and tribulations of humans. To have Amaris care for her was a blessing and a miracle.

"I...am happy to be with Amaris. I like it here. He's... kind to me." She confessed tenderly. She smiled in affection and warmth as she recalled the things that Amaris had done for her the past few days and was suddenly very bashful. There was a sudden silence the air and Orihime had wondered if she had said something wrong judging by Isshin's shocked expression and how Amaris tightened his hold of her and she could feel his hand twitch under her. Suddenly Isshin burst into a fit of laughter and his voice echoed throughout the forest as he clutched his side in mirth.

"He's kind hmm? Well this is definitely surprising. It seems that Amaris is the one being looked after and not you dear." He wheezed as he rubbed a tear from the corner of his eye.

"Be quiet! You're so loud and annoying. Stop speaking in riddles and leave before I do something drastic." Amaris growled in irritation.

"Now, now calm down my son. I have news that I wish to share with you and there are things that I need to discuss with you about Karakura now that the town has been burned." He addressed in a serious tone; all the playfulness gone as his expression hardened.

At the mention of her town, she jostled and felt her blood turn cold. How could she have forgotten? Her beautiful village had been pillaged and burned to the ground and the only evidence of it was the lingering soot and ash that covered the town like snowfall. She could feel her chin wobble at the thought of her brother and how he risked his life for her and tried to keep her tears at bay. As if sensing her distress, Amaris quickly pulled the cover of the cloth over her head and hid her in space of his neck; almost shielding her for the onslaught of pain and giving her privacy.

"Father, enough. We shouldn't be discussing human matters like this so openly. The fate of humans is not my concern and you know that I have no interest in them. I don't see why you're bringing this up with me." Amaris stressed in annoyance as he held her head and squeezed her more firmly.

"This matter concerns Orihime and the soul society has deemed it important that I speak with you."

The moment she heard Isshin mention 'soul society', she could feel Amaris jump slightly as his hold on her turned painful. She could feel his aura turn dark and the air around her grow cold just like it did back when Rukia had teased him. The black aura around him moved like wisps in the air as they swirled around menacingly and a shiver ran down her spine as he spoke.

"Shut your mouth. I don't want to hear it. I have nothing to say them and I don't give a damn what they have to say. They made sure of that when they condemned me here." He growled in a menacing tone.

She felt chills run down her spine from the way he spoke and how cold his tone was. She had seen him angry, but never like this. His aura was stifling and she could feel immense pressure coming from him. It was like all the life from her body was being drained and she was suffocating from his anger alone. She trembled in his arms and couldn't help the whimper that escaped her lips from his harsh demeanour.

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice. I understand your frustration, but don't forget who you are... Amaris." Isshin warned, all playfulness gone from his voice as his expression hardened. Silence hung in the air as they stared each other down and Orihime squirmed in discomfort. She was being smothered and their clean, pure aura from before that warmed her suddenly felt like tidal waves crashing into her. She couldn't breathe and the stench in the air turned sour; she could see some plant life around Amaris' feet die as they turned brown as the black aura around him twitched and writhed in anger.

"Amaris." Orhime whimpered in fear. She didn't like where things were going and at this rate the whole entire area would drown in their aura and be destroyed. She had seen enough destruction and didn't wish to see more. She yanked his bandages near his shoulder through the cloth to get his attention. His red stony eyes focused on her and she could see how distant and cold they were. His expression was blank but she could see the bubbling anger in his eyes and didn't like it. This was a side to him she'd never seen and it was frightening. A frown settled between his brow as he stared at her and she shivered, his eyes softened the more he stared at her then with a sigh he shook his head, closed his eyes and softened his expression.

"Very well. Make it fast, I don't have all day and Orihime isn't feeling well from our aura." He resigned with irritation.

"Ah! Now back to business my dear son. I'm so glad that you decided to listen, the poor girl was about to burst into tears!" Isshin sang in a playful tone with a smile on his face.

"If you don't shut up and stop annoying me I'll make you burst into tears after I beat you." Amaris snapped and squeezed Orihime in his grasp. She could feel his strong hands holding her and the pressure under them was immense. It was almost turning painful and she tried to stifle a whimper from his hold but it was too late; she gasped and immediately shut her mouth with a frown, but he had heard her based on his frown.

"My dear boy! She's human, don't be so rash with her. She's more fragile than you think, calm down." Isshin reprimanded with a pout. 

"Urgh, just get on with it."

"So impatient.... Well the Gotei thirteen have decided that with the recent events of Karakura town being burned to the ground that it has shook the balance of life. So many people weren't supposed to die at once so suddenly so there's an increase amount of souls not to mention that this was not predestined to take place. Someone has interfered and has caused this imbalance intentionally, not to mention targeting Karakura seems odd." Isshin explained calmly as he leaned against a tree with his arms crossed.

"What do you mean by odd?" Amaris questioned lightly.

"I mean that targeting Karakura intentionally in the first place is odd. This town is small and not nearly as rich as other towns, so why would bandits attack out of nowhere after this town has been left in peace for years? This town is rural, there aren't many people here and there's nothing worth stealing or killing over, so the question remains as to why bandits attacked in the first place." He reasoned with a firm tone.

"So you're saying another god could have possibly been involved into making them attack?"

"Yes. It makes sense if a god is involved. Making man attack and twisting their selfish desires is after all an easy task for a god and what we delight in doing." He giggled darkly with mirth as he stared at Amaris with a knowing expression.

The banter between the two of them left Orihime at a loss. Not only did she have no idea as to what they meant or who the Gotei thirteen were, she felt a sudden feeling of sickness turn her stomach at the revelation that Gods had sometimes purposefully twisted the fate of humans. She remembered her brother saying that Gods didn't bother with humans but apparently that was not true, at least not for all Gods. She had come to know that some gods are destructive in nature but did not intentionally seek out the demise of humans as was the case with Amaris. Although he had destructive abilities and reigned over death, he did not actively seek out carnage and the destruction of humanity. She had observed him and had come to the conclusion that he would never do something like that; especially if her brother had trusted her under his care as his dying wish.

"Well what does this have to do with Orihime and I?" Amaris responded with exhaustion lacing his tone. Orihime hadn't heard him sound so placid and exhausted but she somehow found that to be fascinating that he could shift his emotions so suddenly. He was expressing more emotions that he had a few days prior and she found this new discovery intriguing.

"Lord Yamamoto has decided that you may leave the forest so long as you're accompanied by another god and only for a limited time per day. He has asked Yoruichi and Urahara to lift the barrier here and expand the area to which you can roam. You're still bound here and must return each night to Karakura but you have some freedom now." Isshin explained.

"What... did you say?" Amaris croaked, his voice soft and teetering near a whisper.

"You may leave child."

"But..how?" He sputtered in confusion.

"Lord Yamamoto has deemed that your exile is nearing its end. Apparently he thought that your small act of kindness in taking Orihime in to be worthy of redemption. He said that if you're willing to continue to take care of a human child that you're worthy of your freedom."

"I don't understand. I..."

"Listen child, whether you took Orihime in on a whim or not it doesn't change the fact that you decided that you felt pity on this child and took her in. You showed compassion and you considered her life to be valuable enough to save. I'm proud of your decision and...I'm sorry it took this long for you to find some happiness." Isshin confessed with a sorrowful tone. He smiled sadly and turned his attention to Orihime.

"Please take care of my son Orihime." He then turned his attention back to Amaris then spoke with a strained voice, "I won't ask for your forgiveness but I wish you happiness son. Farewell for now my child." And without another word he walked towards the forest trail and without blinking, he disappeared in a flash just as Amaris did back at the river.

Amaris said nothing as he stood completely still not moving an inch and Orihime could feel the tension in his hands and fingers as he held her. She could feel them tremble and knew that whatever Isshin had said affected him beyond words. She was curious and confused at what Isshin had said about his exile. There was so much she wanted to know; why was he exiled? For what reason was he bound here? For how long did he live here? Who were the Gotei thirteen and the mysterious Yamamoto? There was just so much she was dying to ask Amaris but knew that it was not her place to be asking such questions. Amaris never had once poked at her weaknesses or past, so what right do she have to go about prying into his?

The continued tension built and the only sounds she could hear was the river and birds as they continued on without a care in the world. Amaris continued to tremble so much that her body quivered in his hold and she could see his ruby red eyes wide in shock. His usual stoic bandaged face was paler than she had remembered and she wanted to comfort him somehow just as he did when Isshin had mentioned Karakura. With careful deliberate movements, she pulled the pink cloth wrapped around her more over her head so that it was like a veil over her face and grabbed the cloth in between her fingers then inched closed to him.

"Amaris, are you okay?" She murmured softly. She didn't want to frighten or bother him but she wanted to shake him out of his shock.

She ever so slowly placed her palms against his cheeks and leaned forward pressing her forehead against his. His eyes widened in shock and he jolted from the sudden proximity but she held his face in her palms and rubbed her forehead against his softly. Even though their skin wasn't touching, she could feel how cold he was even through the cloth and his bandages. Although she was feeling shy, she wanted to convey her genuine concern for him. He had taken care of her and she wanted to show that she too could support and help him when he needed it. He looked so fragile as she stared into his red eyes and somehow her chest ached with sadness.

"W-what is it?" He whispered gruffly. His brow furrowed as he quickly looked into her eyes then cast his gaze to the side; most likely in discomfort. Orihime guessed that he hadn't been in contact with another person in years so it was understandable that he was uncomfortable but she found his discomfort somewhat endearing. 

"Are you okay?" She mumbled bashfully.

"Yes. I'm fine, don't worry." He responded gently.

They continued to simply feel each other and Orihime didn't know how long he would permit her to stay like this but it was comforting and very soothing that she couldn't break away from his touch. It reminded her of how her brother would comfort her as he held her face in his palms and would simply press his forehead against hers. The simple act of his touch would soothe her whenever she had a nightmare or wake up crying from missing their parents. Sora would hum to her gently as he would hold her face and before she knew it, her crying would stop. Remembering it now brought tears to her eyes and she smiled sadly.

"My brother used to do this to comfort me. I'm sorry Amaris, I didn't mean to touch you." She cooed tenderly as she pulled away from him with a blush.

"It's...fine." He grumbled in reply and she giggled at his frown. Luckily he didn't pull his face away from her hands and she continued to gently stroke his cheeks enjoying the peacefulness that washed over her. She didn't know how much she missed another person's touch until now and she was almost starved for it.

"Um... are we interrupting something?" A voice chuckled happily.

The sudden interruption scared Orihime as she squealed in surprise and immediately jumped in his arms. Amaris growled and with speed pulled Orihime into his chest and wrapped her tighter into his hold protecting her then turned around swiftly.

"What the hell?! What are you two doing here?" Amaris fumed.

"Oh come now, relax. Isshin did say that we'd be expanding the area didn't he?" A female sultry voice interrupted.

"Well give me a little warning next time. Why is everyone so keen on visiting today? I haven't had a visitor in months and now everyone feels like they can come and go as they please." He complained with a snarl.

"Relax, we'll be out of your hair in no time and then you go back to flirting with your little human." A man's voice sang with mirth.

"Oh shut up Urahara, she's a child and a human. Don't get any weird ideas." Amaris snapped and the man laughed boisterously.

The sudden tension in Amaris' hands and body relaxed as he huffed in annoyance as his hold loosened around her. She peeked out from his chest and squinted into the direction of the voice to see who had spoken. Two people stood side by side; one man and one woman. The woman had the most unusual hair colour and eyes she had ever seen. Yellow cat like eyes and a wide smile greeted her as she inspected the women with dark skin. Her hair was tied into a pony tail and she wore black fitting robes. The man had blonde short hair with kind brown eyes and was wearing a white haori over top a black yukata and sandals. His appearance resembled Isshin's in a way and Orihime was beginning to understand that the black and white clothes were a common uniform wore by the Gods.

"Oh and this must be the cute little girl that we've been hearing all about! My she's adorable isn't she Urahara."

"Yes she is dear, but I wonder how..Amaris.. thinks about her. Don't you Yoruichi?" The man called Urahara chuckled as he scratched his chin and observed Orihime intently with a smile.

"You two are insufferable. Just do whatever it is you came here to do and leave."

"Now now, I would love to have a little chat with her don't you think so too Urahara?" Yoruichi gibed with a light tone and a cat like grin on her beautiful face.

Amaris sighed heavily and Orihime could hear him grumble under his breath quietly as he gently put her down. Her bare feet touched the cool earth and before he could leave she immediately tugged at his hakama pants; pulling with all her strength to stop him from leaving. She didn't want to be separated from him since she was beginning to feel uneasy with the recent turn of events and somehow being away from him filled her with anxiety. He grunted from the strength of her pull and she could feel her cheeks fill with heat as he stared at her in confusion.

"What-is it?" He asked with a frown. She could tell that he was uncomfortable with how his shoulders were stiff and his bandaged hands were held in fists.

"Amaris what's going on?" She inquired shyly.

"Don't worry little one, we're friends of Amaris, was it? Yeah we're his dear old friends we just want to help him out. He's not going anywhere too far so don't fret. We'll give him back." Yoruichi assured with a giggle; her yellow eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Yoruichi, enough don't tease them so much, you'll scare her away." Urahara teased with a wave of his hand as Amaris scowled at him, his lip curled in distaste.

"Do you two never tire of making my life miserable?" Amaris huffed in annoyance as he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh come now dear boy, what else is there left to our long existence other than small little moment like these to bother you?" Urahara mused as he jutted his hips and crossed his arms. Amaris growled and turned back to Orihime; his eyes stormy and his shoulders relaxed as he stared at her.

"Stay with Yoruichi Orihime. She's the goddess of cats and mischief while Urahara is the god of creation. They're... friendly for the most part so you can trust them. I'll be back so don't- worry." He encouraged, his voice sounding strained and his body stiff as he stared down at her hand grasping his clothing. With reluctance she let go and with a nod from his head he walked towards Urahara.

"So your name's Orihime? What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Don't worry my husband will take good care of Amaris." She beseeched with a soft voice and a small smile. She gently placed her hand on Orihime's shoulder and Orihime could feel her kindness and warm aura as it wrapped around her like a cloak. Her hand was warm and she could feel Yoruichi almost squeeze her shoulder to comfort her as she hunched in on herself; almost shying away from her touch.

"So how long have you been with Amaris dear?"

"A few days Yoruichi-sama." Orihime whispered as she picked at her nails in nervousness.

"Oh please just call me Yoruichi. And only a few days and he's already this smitten... how cute." She snickered in delight at this new discovery then kneeled towards Orihime and contined to speak. "So you call him Amaris? What an interesting name."

"My brother called him that before he-"

The sudden mention of her brother caught the words in her mouth and she felt grim at the reminder of his death. Silence hung in the air and Yoruichi seemed to catch onto her distress as she rubbed her back with gentle strokes.

"I see, well thank you for sticking with Amaris. He's a lonely soul so it's wonderful to see him have a little colour in his life. As someone who watched over him for years, I'm happy to see that he's beginning to change even if he doesn't know it himself." She admitted with a soft tone.

Orihime took this into thought and recalled that Rukia had also said the same thing that Yoruichi did and it only made Orihime feel more distraught for Amaris as she recalled how lonely and dismal he looked at the river. There was one thing that was nagging at her and she desperately wanted to know so she mustered up her courage then focused her attention to Yoruichi.

"Yoruichi, please tell me Amaris' real name. I think he has another name but he doesn't want me to know."

"You're right he does, but I don't think it'd be wise to tell you it. It's not something that just anyone can know or should know. A god's name is very personal and knowing it could harm him in more ways that you know child. Knowing a God's real name is dangerous in the wrong hands, especially in the hands of a human. If someone wanted to, they could bind a God spiritually just be calling them their name. Humans have shown in the past to misuse the power they hold over knowing a God's real name. They could even bind less powerful gods to become their servants using just their name. It caused a lot of trouble in the past so Gods and Goddesses only tell their intended or those they trust their real name." With a tender smile she explained and suddenly Orihime felt upset for prying more than she should. 

"I'm sorry Orihime, it's not my place to tell you. If Amaris hasn't told you yet I'm sure he has a good reason for doing so. I know it's difficult and hard to understand but it's hard for him to trust other's so easily." She confessed with sadness.

"But Yoruichi, does that mean your real name isn't Yoruichi?" Orihime muttered solemnly.

"No, Yoruichi is my real name, same with my husband's. The reason we told you is because we are more well known gods and human's revere us and have for a very long time. We're more powerful, therefore a human wouldn't be able to 'bind' us. It's hard to explain but if a god or goddess has a domain for themselves and are worshipped by humanity then they aren't bound to their name." She explained as she pat Orihime's head softly.

"Does that mean people don't like Amaris? Why is he different?" Orihime urged in confusion. Yoruichi's face was grim and her lips set into a thin line then she spoke in a hushed whisper.

"Orihime have you ever known anyone to worship the god of death and destruction? Amaris rules over death so I'm sure you understand what that means. Humans fear and hate death so Amaris will never be worshipped, it's one of the reasons why he's 'bound' to Karakura. He doesn't have anywhere else to go, he has no temple of his own, nobody to remember him or pray to him, he has always been alone." She lamented; her yellow eyes dim and laced with sadness.

"But that's so unfair!? Why Amaris? Why does he have to be alone?" She blubbered as small tears ran down her cheeks. She could feel her heart breaking and she felt anger and sadness swim within her. She couldn't understand why he had to suffer an eternity alone. He was kind and far more human than anyone else she'd known, so what deemed him unfit for a change of happiness?

"I know dear, I know. But that's why I'm glad you're here. Perhaps having you here will quell his sadness and fill his heart with what he is missing."

"Missing?"

"Love. I'm afraid that he's lost it a long time ago and like you, I want him to be happy. So please Orihime, stay by his side. Perhaps you can do what we failed to. Maybe you're the one he needs most of all."

* * *

"So you go by _Amaris_ this time, how intriguing." Urahara mused as he walked ahead clearing the path towards the small shrine that was behind the river bank.

"What about it Kisuke? What difference does it make what name I go by?" Amaris answered in a dull voice devoid of emotion. He was tired and frankly he didn't have the energy for Urahara's prodding and jesting.

"I just find it interesting how you didn't tell dear Orihime your name. It wouldn't hurt you to put a little trust in her now would it?" He goaded with a strong expression of seriousness.

"You know what happened the last time I trusted a human with my name. Besides my name is ridiculous. I don't even need a name, it's bothersome." He stressed as be briskly pushed past Urahara. He hoped that by his tone Urahara would drop the subject.

"Are you afraid Ichigo? Does it scare you how a human like Orihime has already gotten so close to you without you knowing it? Is it that scary for her to know you? Or is that you're too scared to show that you care for her?"

"SHUT UP! Don't call me that. You don't understand anything." He yelled in anger. Urahara was pushing him and he didn't like it. He always hated how perceptive and blunt Kisuke was and he didn't like other's prying into his heart so easily.

In anger he allowed his aura to wrap around Kiskue in warning; the black smoke swirling in distress, readying itself to attack if needed. Urahara said nothing as he stared at him and he started to feel his skin burn under his knowing gaze. He always hated that about him; he was more wise and perceptive than Ichigo liked and having him poke at his weakness was one of the reason's why he hated when the new moon cycle started. He would gain his emotions back making him vulnerable to Urahara's taunting only to lose them when the moon would complete it's cycle only to start the process over again. It was the damn curse that was placed on him and he felt miserable as he would be stripped of his emotions one by one as each day would go by only to regain them back. The process was cruel; it forced him to lose touch of his humanity; it forced him to feel that he had hope of gaining what he lost only to have it stripped away all over again in an endless cycle. The curse was meant to mock him; taunt him in the most crueslt of ways and he would have to learn each emotion, each sense from the beginning like a helpless babe.

Taste, smells, emotions; everything would be taken from him and he would slowly succumb to his ugly forms. Each time he would transform into each of his forms, he would lose more of his humanity chipping away at his soul making him more grotesque and it pained him. It was pure agony to have to suffer through each transformation on each moon cycle. The worst of it all was the red moon when his hollow form would manifest. He had no control over that form and he was glad that he never encountered any human during the red moon cycle. It was horrid and the more he transformed the more detestable he felt.

"Your anger is understandable Ichigo. You're scared of losing Orihime and the fact that you're scared means it's too late. You already care for her whether you like it or not. Just accept the fact that she makes you vulnerable. It'll do you some good. Trust me." He advised with a firm tone. Without another word Urahara trudged past him and continued towards the small shrine in silence.

Pondering on his words, Ichigo recalled Orihime's distress and concern for him and suddenly felt uncomfortable. The sudden realization of Urahara's words only made him more angry which brought on more self loathing and he didn't want to think about his words or what they could mean. He didn't want to allow himself that luxury. Orihime was indeed creeping her way into his very existence and that alone was a frightening thought. Throughout their days together he knew that Urahara was right. She was the very definition of what he longed for; she was light itself in contrast to his dreary existence and she threatened everything he thought he knew.

"If you're done brooding over there, shall we get this unbinding spell started?" He interrupted in a dull voice.

"Fine, the sooner you do it the faster you'll be out of my forest."

With a smirk Urahara stood in front of the small wooden box and Ichigo knew what he needed to do. He walked towards the rope that surrounded the saisen and bent to get under the rope to enter the small circular area. He stood in the middle and kneeled on the grass with his head bowed in preparation for the pain he was to feel. He always hated whenever a seal was either branded onto him or removed. The process was very painful since it removed the spell from the soul of the one was bound to it and it always felt like he was being stripped bare making him weak and vulnerable. He clenched his teeth in apprehension and gripped his hakama pants; his body tense and taunt for the onslaught of agony he would feel.

Urahara raised his right hand and with a loud voice started to recite the spell " _Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!_ Hado number 90 kurohitsugi!" With a booming voice, he finished chanting the spell and a roar echohed throughout the forest. Bright black spirit engery crawled around him and he could feel the immense pressure building on him and weighing him down as the spell formed a large black dark box around him. The cross like spears peirced through his body and with an agonizing scream he could feel the spell peirce his chest.

He could feel the spell course through his veins as it cut through his body and the pain magnifed as it stabbed him. The spell pushed through him and he could feel it cut a thread that was most likely one of the binding cords that tied him to the land. It was like being scorched alive with a hot iron and he continued to scream as it cut the cord. As soon as the spell cut the cord the spell broke and the black energy broke like glass; shattering pieces as it fell. He panted; sucking in air as his chest heeved and he clenched his banadged hands into the cool earth to regain his senses.

"How does it feel Ichigo? I'm sure you'll find the freedom you've gained today to be unforgettable. Always remember this Ichigo, remember that a human girl name Orihime Inoue granted you this freedom and that you owe it to her. Trust me, she'll be the key."

"K-Key?" He grunted in pain.

"Yes, the key to what we call 'heart.'"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed a bit of fluff and angst since next chapter will be mostly fluff. I wanted to add some plot details to get the ball rolling. I also used Hado number 90 "Kurohitsugi" which is the binding Kido that Aizen used on Ichigo during their battle and thought it was fitting since it was a biding spell that tried to lock Ichigo. I thought it'd be interesting to see it being used to "unbind" him instead, plus the chant spell that Aizen uses really fits with Ichigo as the god of death/destruction if you really think about it. 
> 
> I thought it was about time for "Amaris" to be referred to as Ichigo since Urahara keeps pushing him to accept that name since he disowned it a long time ago. Plus Ichigo referring to himself as "Ichigo" was a big step for him in terms of his the importance of how he views his relationship with Orihime.
> 
> "Saisen" is a small offering box that people put money in and it was used to offer payment for prayers and such to gods.
> 
> Leave a comment and kudos if you like the chapter! See you guys soon!


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